Op-Ed: It’s Time for Senator Dianne Feinstein to Retire

Dianne Feinstein has yet to announce whether she will run for re-election.

The late Don Rickles used to kid elderly entertainers, people who hung around a little too long. To Frank Sinatra, he teased, “Hey, Frank—it’s over.” Or to Jimmy Stewart, “Hey, Jimmy, the home called, you have to be back by 9pm.” Laughter. “Is this too fast for you, Jimmy? Look, his head is in his plate.”

All was in good fun, but he was also making a point. These entertainers were long past their prime and new talent had supplanted them. They had all made their mark, but with time comes change and new blood—in every industry.

Politics is no different. It is time for a great Senator, Dianne Feinstein, to retire. In short, “It’s over Dianne.”

Now some loyalists well remain, just as Sinatra fans still attended concerts when the crooner was 70 years old. But let us not believe it was the same Sinatra who was a hit in his thirties.

Feinstein has done a great job, but her time is past. The Senate is no longer the elite body it once was, yet Feinstein remains rigid and slow to evolve. She fails to challenge the status quo or Donald Trump’s illegitimate presidency and refuses to advocate for progressive positions such as single-payer healthcare. Meanwhile, she continues to support a defense budget predicated on a Cold War mentality—with no regard to technology or changing world conditions that call for less steel and more resolve.

These positions leave her vulnerable in California, which has become a more liberal and progressive state than the one she is used to representing. In short, Feinstein represents the once moderate wing of the Democratic Party, but her philosophy has grown antiquated for this changing world.

That is not to say she made no mark. Far from it. Feinstein had been a positive, progressive force for her era. But that era is over.

In 1986, Alan Cranston was running for reelection at the age of 79. At that time, her view was that Cranston, though a great Senator, had served too long. She said it was time for him to allow others—namely herself—an opportunity to lead. Feinstein was 78 when she last ran for re-election.

Cranston served until he was 85, and Feinstein would be 90 at the end of her next term. The idea of her being wheeled into the chamber and having aides make decisions on her behalf—a la Strom Thurmond—is not the best way to end an otherwise distinguished career in public service.

We only ask that Ms. Feinstein heed her own advice to step down and give others an opportunity to lead.

Rich Robinson is an attorney and political consultant in Silicon Valley. Opinions are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect those of San Jose Inside.

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88 Comments

Difi is old, as is Bernie Sanders, Nasty Pelosi, George Soros, the Castro’s, communism, and socialism, Karl Marx is a dead white man who time has passed, his ideas don’t work and are a failure everyplace they are tried. Joe Stalin and Chairman Hoa murdered and terrorised hundred of million of people that stood in the way of progressivism. Venezuela the latest victim control freak socialism, is in its final death throws. It didn’t work for the Pilgrims for the same reason it doesn’t work today.

The free market and entrepreneurism is what pays and pays to keep the socialist wheel in California lubed and running, It’s time for reality here in Kalifornia, you are out of step, free America has risen from the ashes of Obama’s disaster. You can’t secede and you can’t change the rules, you have lost resistance is futile, you with comply!

Trump is the legitimate president you tried to steal the election just like you do every time you lose. Get over it!
Grow up snowflake!

We are through the Looking Glass. Richard Charles Robinson formed a 501c4 designed to pay him and others to go after long time incumbents. He is paying interns in Santa Clara, San Jose, San Francisco to dig up old files. He is also writing these kooky beluky stuff to garner a platform. Tis money that operates the RR machine.

Sorry, look at Robinson’s website. He claims credit for things other people did so much I am surprised he did not give Al Gore the idea for the Internet. Notice he did not claim credit for Shirakawa! Robinson shoots his wounded every time. Now, because somebody wants it, RR is trying to take credit for DiFi leaving. Laurie Smith, Sheriff “They Go In, but, well, I am not responsible!” He will hand over Laurie, too.

I beg your pardon sincerely. I am taking too many potshots. “Smokey” and others are doing a far better job. My point is that this is hardly an informative or insightful article. This is an example of political spam written by a self aggrandizing popinjay who contributes nothing.

I’m assuming that Empty Gun is one of the minority 62 million who supported an openly racist, lying, misogynist fraud. How proud you must be as he has broken every one of his promises–but, hey, that doesn’t matter to you as long as the color of his skin is orange.

I’m very proud little Richard, you have had your head in that hole so long you actually belive your crap doesn’t stink.
What promise did he brake? He still has 7.75 years to fulfill his mighty legacy. Say hi to Hillary when you get back to the small intestine!

‘Donald Trump’s illegitimate presidency…” You can hate him, and I didn’t vote for him either, but he won the election. Fairly. This has to be the largest and longest collective tantrum in history. Time to stop your lower lip from quivering and dry your tears.

I knew you were around the bend, Rich, but do you really believe the Electoral College was SPECIFICALLY designed to give RACISTS an advantage in a presidential contest? In point of fact, Rich, The Electoral College was specifically designed to prevent unruly mobs from electing our President…like those we have seen since November 2016 rioting, looting, and battering people with whom they disagree. Props to the Founding Fathers for their prescience.

Ten of the first 12 Presidents were slaveholders–the only ones who did own slaves were John Adams (one term) and JQ Adams (one term, won with a minority vote in House); it was the opening of the Northwest territories that finally saw non-slaveholder states become more powerful in the electoral college. And you are correct that the Electoral College was also designed to prevent the masses from determining who the President should be; the founders thought the rabble uneducated and unqualified to determine who should lead this country. They also feared foreign influence could turn the masses to the detriment of our country–all of which came to pass in the last election, as the arcane Electoral College has become simply a rubber stamp of States democratic majorities–as opposed to a deliberative body that would select the most qualified candidate. Last, for most of this country’s history, it was unseemly for a candidate to actually campaign for the Presidency. We should go back to that fundamental proposition that no person actively seeking the job is actually qualified to serve.

What makes Rich Robinson so damned sure that, were he living in the world of the 1700s and a product of those times, he would not be a supporter of slavery and perhaps even a slave owner himself?
Answer; Tremendous arrogance and a massive ego.
People like Rich Robinson- so quick to condemn, so eager to believe the worst about their fellow human beings past and present… Scary.

The election is over. Get over it. Stop the wailing and gnashing of teeth. Let go of your emotional support animals. Stop bringing them to restaurants, malls, the movies, bars, winery tasting rooms, and everywhere else you go to snivel and beat your breasts. If you don’t like The Electoral College, work to change it or remove it; but for now, it’s still the law of the land. And for good reason—to put a check on all you snowflakes who riot whenever someone wants to speak words with which you disagree. Speech you agree with doesn’t need the protection of The First Amendment. It protects hate speech. Just ask the Jewish lawyers of the ACLU who went to court to protect the right of Nazis to march in the predominantly Jewish community of Skokie and display a swastika. The Burger Court, perhaps the most liberal ever, upheld the right of people who most people hated to assemble and speak their hateful words and display their hateful banner. The Founding Fathers were pretty smart guys, anticipating you self-styled progressives would try to make everyone else tow your line. As for DiFi, whose career was catapulted when George Moscone and Harvey Milk were shot, I agree she needs to go; but I fear who her replacement might be. Better the enemy you know than the one you don’t know

I will never accept a misogynist, racist fraud as a leader for this country–and we will speak out loudly and never accept anything he does as legitimate. You can march the goose-step if you wish; doesn’t make right and certainly won’t silence us. A minority of 62 million racists and/or misogynists knew what they were doing was wrong–the did it anyway. We shall not accept the results of the illegitimate election–ever. Nothing he says or does is relevant and we will not be bound by any decision he makes—never.

There are 62,000,000 million racists in the country? Everyone who voted for Trump is a misogynist and/or a racist? There couldn’t possibly have been any other reason? Congratulations. You’ve just demonstrated the elitist attitude that helped Trump win the election. Try breathing into a paper bag.

Yes, it is simple. Everyone who voted knew DT was a racist, misogynist, lying fraud. To actively support his candidacy a person knowingly voted for a racist, misogynist fraud–all other reasons are irrelevant. You learn in Kindergarten that racists and misogynists have no place in elected office–I don’t care how much you hate another person. Last, it was all that was talked about–build the wall, grab women, the American Federal Judge is a Mexican, I will keep all Muslims out of the country. Those who want to excuse the behavior of those who voted for the racist, misogynist is understandable because we don’t want to admit that our there are 62 million racists and/or misogynists in our country–but that is wrong–and the data shows it.

Richie wrote: “I will never accept a misogynist, racist fraud as a leader for this country.” But you accepted Ted Kennedy, who killed Mary Jo Kopechne, fled the scene, and then lied about it to the authorities. You also accepted Bill Clinton who didn’t just SAY nasty things about women, but raped a couple of them, and took advantage of a star struck intern named Monica to get BJ’s for years, then lied to Congress about it. You accepted Billy Jeff as a leader of our country after all he did. SERIOUSLY, Richie, you don’t see the hypocrisy in that? Of course you don’t Richie, because for you lefties anything bad a leftie does is A-OK, but anything bad a rightie does is contemptuous; even if it’s not nearly as serious as what the leftie did that you give a pass to.

False equivalence JMC; Bill Clinton wasn’t running and we would not have voted for him. That said, his policies and his actions as President were not openly hostile to women and minorities. The BS that Clinton was bad so therefore Trump is ok is a false and dangerous analysis.

I’m not saying that the things Trump has been charged with are OK. I’m saying that you and your fellow lefties use a double standard in judging Democrats and Republicans. Whether it was while in office or running for office is irrelevant. You and those like you give Ted Kennedy and Bill Clinton a pass for BEHAVIOR that is far worse than Trump’s WORDS.

Your repeating yourself Little Richard,
Plus you have told us you won’t except anything legitimate he does or illegitimate he does. Pull a little harder your heads not in far enough, we can still hear you babbling!

Maybe you should change your moniker to empty head. And obviously you need to be reminded because what I said was–nothing he does is legitimate. NADA. (That’s Spanish for nothing, which could be the official language in California when Latinos become the majority–at least I’m hoping). lol

Like most fender head left wing snowflake nutjobs you are wrong, the president is legitimate. Like most lawyers you try and use the most insane excuse for an abused conclusion and swear it to be the truth. This my pointy headed little friend is why the American people are throwing out smartass wiseguy lawyers and politicians like yourself from public office.

Now why wait for Mexico to come to you when, you can pack up your carpet bag full of hope and head for the border.

Is operating a dark money group saying Kathy Watanabe is not really Asian, a legitimate campaign, or not?
Hmm, time for people to step down. Laurie Smith sill running the jails where people go in, but they don’t go out.
Hmm, last dark money I heard of was the Koch brothers. How much did you make on Blupacus?

Oh, by Rich Robinson standards, using a name like Duckworth is not really being Asian. Gosh, this guy talks about no Senators in wheelchairs, no Asian American women using Non Asian names, and you wonder

The author of this article doesn’t seem to realize that DiFi, whatever her flaws may be. represents ALL Californians, not just the SF Bay Area. Maybe that’s why she doesn’t support everything the author does.

Now correct me if I’m wrong but medical marijuana was approved by a majority of Voters decades ago. More recently recreational Cannabis has been approved once again by a majority of Californians. Stands to reason based on that that a majority of Californians find the failed Concerta drug war to be an insult and attack upon privacy which is guaranteed to all Californians and there are number of constitutional issues regarding the invasion of our privacy. So, when you factor that into the equation, the answer is you’re wrong; she is out of touch with the majority of Californians.

> I’m saying that you and your fellow lefties use a double standard in judging Democrats and Republicans.

JMC:

Rich and his “fellow lefties” are not, in their minds, using a double standard in judging Democrats and Republicans. They are using the age-old standard of tribalists, which is: “My tribe good, other tribe bad”.

That’s why they always blow off an accusation of “hypocrisy”.

To them, it’s just every day common sense that other tribes are bad and “my tribe and my shaman are wonderful”.

What would be “hypocrisy” to a tribalists is to say: “My tribe good, other tribe good”. That would be dissing your shaman bigtime.

There are good Republicans. If you want to talk taxes, the role of government, economy, environment. . .we can all work together. But the cabal are openly racist and misogynist. They are not your “fathers” Republican Party. They are the lowest form of human being we have in this country–the remnants of the racist Confederacy. We will not work with them.

Were I a newcomer to this site I’d suspect the commenters were part of a conspiracy to provoke Mr. Robinson into exposing himself as a lunatic of the first rank. They turned his Op-Ed into an Oops-Ed.

To EMPTY GUN, congratulations for inducing Mr. Robinson into revealing:

— that he equates any use of race in making an association as racism (Trump linking terrorism to Muslims; border jumping to Hispanics). Had he chosen pediatrics as his profession, Dr. Robinson would be the only physician inoculating Scandinavian children for sickle cell.
— that he believes that only candidates he opposes speak mistruths, which means he must believe, among other things, that the video contradicting Hillary Clinton’s claims of landing under fire was doctored — perhaps by the Russians.
— that he believes that a man who has married and made wealthy several women, fathered daughters who adore him, and inspired loyalty in his female subordinates, despises or his strongly prejudiced against all women (misogyny defined).
— that Mr. Robinson is as big a champion of La Raza as any other resident of Barrio Cupertino, and the significant premium he paid to buy there had nothing to do with the city’s very un-Latin demographics.

To PETE MALLOY, nice job goading a law school graduate into making the paranoiac claim that the Electoral College, something around which his candidate based her campaign strategy, is “understood by few, mysterious or secret” (arcane defined).

To JOHNMICHAEL O’COONOR, thanks for eliciting this twisted bit of logic:

“the Electoral College was also designed to prevent the masses from determining who the President should be”

+ “a rubber stamp of States democratic majorities — as opposed to a deliberative body that would select the most qualified candidate.”

= it should’ve elected Hillary Clinton.

Mr. Robinson can’t seem to figure out whether he supports giving the masses a voice, as in the former, or opposes it, as in the latter. Revealingly, this champion of egalitarianism is in favor of a “deliberative body” making the decision for each state — the vote of the masses be damned! Quite likely Mr. Robinson envisions deep thinkers such as himself making up this body (which, under other circumstances, might be called the politburo).

Thanks alot! Yet again you have ruined every point of logic and reason that I was going to throw out there and I can’t even see any worthwhile sarcastic remarks to make. I’m not sure which of us should be more terrified that we seem to agree and that we equally enjoyed Mr. Robinson for the same reasons. *shudder*

Finfan–as usual you miss the entire point. HRC won the election. We will not recognize an moron as our President. I explained the arcane Electoral College because very few people do understand it, but in the final analysis we currently elect a President with democracy (most votes win)–with the twist of partially keeping a system was created to promote slavery and keep the mobs from choosing our leader (neither goal, in the 21st Century is relevant. Thus the antiquated Electoral College simply allows a moron to be elected with a minority of uneducated voters. What I would prefer is an educated electorate that allows the majority to prevail; anything else is not legitimate. Of the last three Presidents, only Barack Obama was originally elected with most votes. Both GWB and DT were selected without the will of the majority. This is too common as demographics and populations–such as an educated California–have less power than an uneducated Mississippi. The idea of one person, one vote is a good one. And to have a vote in California count less than a vote in Wyoming in antithetical to democracy, our republic and good government.

I won’t insult you by pretending that you actually meant any of what you’ve just said but I do enjoy your arguments with Finfan…but then again I’m not bothered by the sight of a small animal with its leg caught in a steel trap either.

Uneducated Mississippi is ranked 45 in government school education only 2 points behind indoctrinated students from the government schools in People’s Republic of Kalifornia. If I remember correctly California was # 1 when I landed here in 1974. I guess we fixed that with quotas, diversity training, segregated graduations, transgendered bathrooms,
and let’s not forget what started it all affirmative action. I wonder what will happen to all that good stuff when Mexico take over Rich?

I find it telling that you are so consistently reckless with your word choice. Just as the word arcane is an ill-fit for the Electoral College, and the totality of Mr. Trump’s interactions with females debunks the charge of misogyny, so too does the word moron widely miss the mark in describing the man’s intelligence. As for your vow not to recognize Mr. Trump as president, I would find meaning in your sentiment had you vowed to withhold respect, but pray tell, what, other than a tantrum utterance, is meant by this refusal to recognize? Do you intend to stop paying federal taxes?

As for this unexpected admiration progressives have recently discovered for majority rule, one wonders where it was when Californians repeatedly voiced their opposition to both gay marriage and the funding of services for illegal aliens? Rather than accept majority rule, progressives, acting like the good little totalitarians they are, strong-armed their agendas into law by way of the mysterious and secret — some might say arcane, deliberative processes of the judiciary.

Sane people accept Donald Trump as president because he was duly elected, a fact lunatics refuse to acknowledge. You’ve positioned yourself on this matter quite clearly, and in doing so take your place alongside those who believe Elvis is still alive, the moon landing was faked, and the Mother Ship is due any day now.

“… but in the final analysis we currently elect a President with democracy…” The USA is not now,nor has it ever been, a democracy. It is a republic. The Pledge of Allegiance does not have a phrase, “…and to the democracy for which it stands.” You will not find the word “democracy” anywhere in the Constitution. And Fin Fan has it right–you snowflake progressives support majority rule only when your side wins. You support free speech only when the speech comports with your views. You support the rule of law only when it comes down on your side. You just don’t get it. Your entire mantra, and that of all those with whom you align, is the labeling of anyone and everyone who disagrees with you as racist or misogynist or a moron. The liberal mainstream press excoriated Trump when he declined to say he would accept the results of the election if he lost. But that is exactly what you and your ilk have done. And the wonder of it all is that none of you grasp the inconsistency of your position, due to your blind hatred, and frustration at losing to a more sensible public.

Here you go:
You are right. I am all of those things you have accused me of because I am a Trump supporter. Feel better now? It doesn’t mean a thing to anyone. Just like your ranting and liberal psychosis doesn’t mean anything to anyone. Its really fun to see you sputter and smoke, but you are getting a bit boring.

“…namely a racist, misogynist culture led by a habitual lying fraud.” Geez Richie, you’ve become a bloody parrot repeating the same tired mantra in an endless loop. And Hillary wasn’t a lying fraud? And Bill Clinton wasn’t a rapist and sexual abuser of interns who lied about it before Congress? And Ted Kennedy didn’t let Mary Jo Kopechne drown and then lie about it? Whatever faults President Trump has (and I am willing to admit he has some, unlike you, who fail to admit the far more egregious flaws of your “progressive” heroes) pale in comparison to your heroes. I guess I should stop responding to your robotic loop, since you are clearly too dense to realize your own hypocrisy. Go curl up with your emotional support ferret and try to have an original thought instead of your doctrinaire loop. Better still, slink back to the quiet anonymity you have been in for the last couple of years. You lost. Get over it. Stroke that ferret.

Did Trump, who is not qualified to be president, ever attack a married woman running for office for using her husband’s name? What did that attack Robinson initiated have to say about the children of that marriage? The other fascinating thing about it was that Robinson was content letting others be accused of supporting it. Attacking Tino Silva, though Siva did cooperate with police. And, then there was Robinson’s obsessive hatred for Lisa Gillmor, though he claimed credit for her leadership of Measure J. Yep, Richie is such a vanguard. Maybe it is time for Robinson to retire.

Josh & Jenn must be ecstatic, After months, no years, of the vast majority of SJI bloggers being diametrically opposed to their view on everything, along comes Rich Robinson, raised from the dead, to plead their causes for them.

I’ve always found it very entertaining that while nearly every SJI story champions some liberal view on an issue, the only responses the writers typically get are from the same handful of people who completely disagree with them.

It IS peculiar. Seems to me that those few lefties who do chime in, with a few notable exceptions such as Rich here and Calmherdown to their credit, do so in rather trollish fashion, offering only some shallow criticism of conservatives, then failing to engage when challenged.
My own theory is that most liberals have very short attention spans and lack any sort of sticktoitiveness to follow up or even to pay any attention to other ideas.

My theory is that the progressive underclass supermajority in California and the bay area regard Cali and the bay area as their “safe space”. The overwhelming majority simply don’t know anyone who disagrees with the progressive narrative and they simply accept it as revealed truth.

The random progressive hottentots who pop up on SJI from time to time often seem shocked and stunned to discover that there is someone who disagrees with the doctrines of their shaman. After a few troubling encounters with alternative reality, the hottentots seem to drop out and go back to their villages.

Richard Charles Robinson huh?
A person grows their name in proportion to their own sense of self importance.
But I’d have to agree with him here. After 30 years it’s time for somebody besides DiFi to be my Senator- Tom McClintock for instance.

“We”?? You’re presuming to speak for everyone? How does that work (except for wannabe dictators?)

Richard me boi, listen up: Hillary’s name-calling is what got her dumped by voters; it made the difference. And you’re no different, with your incessant, baseless, and false accusations.

Truth be told, it is Hillary Clinton who is thoroughly corrupt, dishonest, and racist—and every one of those things were captured on YouTube videos. But you’re so blind to her faults that you project them onto the election Winner.

And Bernie? heh. He panders to anyone who covets what folks in the productive class have earned. So when Hillary confiscated the nomination that was rightfully his, it was just desserts, no? Lie down with dogs, get up with fleas.

But you’re correct about one thing: Pelousy has to go. But where did you find that 40-year old picture of her? (‘Scuse me, I meant that fifty year old pic.)

Finally, like 98% of Trump voters (per today’s WaPo poll), I’d vote for our President again for at least two reasons: first, to keep Hillary out. She should be in a federal penitentiary, not in the Oval Office.

And second: because I get a kick out of watching the snowflake contingent throwing their non-stop, whiny, juvenile tantrums. If I didn’t know better I would think they had a copyrigght on thumb-sucking. One day people will read about the Great Snowflake Meltdown in their history books with slack-jawed disgust and amazement. You Trump-hating leftys would make a spoiled 2-year old brat look mature. I’d advise you to grow up, but it would have about the same effect as a rainstorm on a duck.

I was eager to support the author’s thesis, but then I read the article. His reasons:
1. Senator Feinstein is old. Not incapacitated, not losing it, merely chronologically old.
2. Senator Feinstein once told an equally old Senator to retire
3. Senator Feinstein is a moderate.
4. Senator Feinstein is SO old, that she might have to be wheeled into the Senate one day.

Let’s take these in reverse order. Imaginary fears are not worth worrying about, as my parents told me when I imagined that the tiger hiding under my bed might kill and eat me during the night. When and if she needs to be wheeled in, I’m sure she would retire.
Newsflash: Senator Feinstein has ALWAYS been a moderate, on the CalDem scale. On the national scale, she is quite liberal, to the left of Hillary Clinton, for example.
Senator Cranston had negatives besides his age. He barely survived the Keating Five scandal.
DiFi is not incapacitated, not losing it. She represents the people of California. If she didn’t, the Dems could always find a challenger, as they found the baby-faced Eric Swallwell to challenge the grizzled Pete Stark.

“The head of California’s $64 billion high-speed rail project said Friday that he’s stepping down after five years pushing forward a vision of 220-mph trains that still faces stiff resistance from lawmakers and the public.”

Before I can adopt this point of view, I need to know four things:
1. Who are the American oligarchs?
2. What are their interests?
3. How is Dianne Feinstein serving these interests?
4. Which interests of non-oligarchs is Dianne Feinstein either ignoring or actively working against, in her efforts to serve the oligarchs?

1. The Oligarch she services most often is her husband Richard Blum , investment banker and government contractor.
Followed by the News media run DNC.
2. What are their interest? Totalitarian control of the USA.
3. Power, committees, control, contracts, Corruption!, Atypical of the Washington swamp.
4. The People, The Constitution, and the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy.
But you would know all of that if you had been born before 1970, or read her bio on wikipedia